The Toronto Raptors may not have acquired Kevin Durant in a trade that would have shaken the very foundations of the NBA, but it was not for lack of trying. The Raptors were mentioned as a legitimate contender for his services right up until the end of the chase.
The Nets and Durant appear to have mended fences for the time being, as a statement put out by Brooklyn hints at the notion that all parties have worked out their collective differences. While the Raptors faced some obstacles when it came to acquiring him, they got as close as anyone to finalizing a deal.
The Raptors were given a slight boost in their championship odds after being linked to Durant for soo long. Unfortunately, with the prospect of acquiring him now a distant memory, Las Vegas is a bit more pessimistic regarding Toronto’s odds of competing.
According to WynnBET, the Raptors now have +3000 odds to win the championship, putting them behind a Dallas Mavericks team they were tied with as recently as one week ago. The Nets, meanwhile, have the third-best title odds at +700, trailing the Warriors and Celtics.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022
Toronto Raptors odds: The Kevin Durant saga hurt TOR’s chances.
Toronto has the sixth-best odds in the Eastern Conference. Considering that they finished fifth in the East last year, and the fact that the seventh-place Nets appear to be more poised for a title charge this year, that’s not the most unreasonable gesture in the world.
That doesn’t mean Toronto should be totally discounted as a threat. With one of the best starting lineups in the game, a handful of young players like Scottie Barnes that could help them break through in April and May, and a much-improved bench, the Raptors are a formidable group.
The Heat and Suns, both of whom were interested in Durant, have also seen their odds to win it all fall following the announcement that KD was staying. Therefore, the declining odds are not an issue unique to Toronto. The thought of Durant and Pascal Siakam next to one another was fun to imagine, but it’s not going to happen.
Kevin Durant is staying with the Brooklyn Nets. What’s next for the Raptors and rest of the NBA?@SmithRaps takes a look:https://t.co/rU1iIz8OXP
— Toronto Star Sports (@StarSports) August 23, 2022
The Raptors shouldn’t feel too down in the dumps over their inability to and Durant, especially considering the asking price Brooklyn already established. The oddsmakers in Vegas might be more pessimistic than they were before, but the Raptors are used to defying expectations.